Broken Facades
by Blanche Mottershead
Summary: Regina is horrified when she get's a migraine that interrupts her date with Emma and Emma has to take care of her. Just a little bit of sick fic fluff. please let me know what you think :) [Emma/Regina]


Broken Facades 

Emma sat across the dinner table, looking at Regina, a single candle melting lazily over the sides of the stubby wine bottle that it had been stuck in. Tony had taken away their empty dinner plates and was now in the corner with Joe, the two of them filling the little room with music. Emma couldn't help but stare at the Queen sitting across from her. She looked beyond stunning in the soft orange light cast by the candle. Her dark hair shone, hanging loose and straight around her shoulders. Emma liked that she had let it grow a little longer. It was softer, less threatening, and it suited the former Evil Queen's somewhat less severe personality. Her pale skin seemed almost to glow in the dim light, her dark eyes twinkling mischievously like the black teardrop diamonds that hung from her ears. They had been dating for about six months now, but Emma never failed to notice just how beautiful she was; it hit her like a tidal-wave every time she saw her, leaving her just as surprised and stunned both at the woman's beauty, and at how she felt about her, as it had the first time she had noticed it.

Regina frowned and looked down at her hands, examining them with an intense irritation.

"Everything okay?" Emma asked, concern leaking into her voice. Regina looked up and forced a smile.

"Of course," she said. "I'll be right back." Regina got up abruptly and disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Emma sitting at the table looking perplexed.

Regina returned a few minutes later and Emma could see that she looked slightly flushed, as though she had splashed cold water on her face. She sat back down across from her new lover, smiling. Despite Regina's years of skilful practice at putting on a brave face and hiding her emotions, Emma could tell that it was slightly forced.

"All okay?" Emma asked, reaching forward to take Regina's hand in her own.

"Of course," Regina smiled, giving Emma's hand a little squeeze. "Now," she said withdrawing her hand to pick up the desert leaflet resting against the flower, "desert?" Emma hesitated, her super power tingling. But she could tell that Regina didn't want talk about it and she would only get angry with her if she pushed her too hard.

"Okay," she said, forcing a smile. "What do you want?" Regina looked down at the menu and the same little frown puckered the smooth skin of her brow.

"Damn it!" she muttered, slapping the menu down in front of her.

"I knew something was up," Emma said frowning at her. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing to worry about," Regina muttered. "I'm just getting a migraine." Emma sighed.

"Why didn't you say?" Regina looked down at her hands.

"Because, I didn't want to spoil our date," she mumbled miserably. Emma smiled sadly and reached for her hands, stroking little abstract patterns in Regina's palms.

"You're so silly," Emma chuckled. "You could never ruin it."

"Excuse you Miss Swan," Regina said, drawing herself up to her full height in her chair. "You should be much more careful about how you talk to your Mayor." Emma chuckled again, and a smile tugged at the corners of Regina's mouth. It slipped away as quickly as it had appeared however as Regina frowned, her hand rubbing her forehead tentatively.

"Headache started?" Emma asked, worry seeping into her voice again. Regina nodded.

"And I can hardly see a thing my vision is so blurred."

"We should get you home," Emma said quietly. Regina looked up at her, both anger and sadness flaring in her eyes.

"I don't want to cut the night short," she said stubbornly. "Really Emma I'll be fine."

"I'm not taking no for an answer," Emma said softly. "I'm going to go and settle up." And before Regina could argue, the young blonde had left their table and gone to pay. Regina sighed in defeat and let her increasingly aching head fall into her hands dejectedly. She felt humiliated. She hated for people to see her weak. It wasn't who she was. She was the Evil Queen, she should be able to put a stop to a stupid migraine. She had planned the entire evening, from their night time stroll past the swans in the park, to the dinner and walk home under the stars. She had been hoping to impress, as she always did when she took Emma out. But this ruined everything.

Emma walked Regina home, the two of them hardly speaking a word to one another. The dark haired woman looked angry, but none the less she laced her fingers through Emma's as they waked. Emma could see the sadness sparkling behind the mask of frustration and anger in her dark eyes. When they reached the front door Emma turned to face her, their hands still clasped together.

"How's your head?" she asked.

"Getting worse by the minute," Regina grumbled. "But my vision is back to normal." She failed to conceal a grimace as she fumbled in her bag for her keys.

"Do you want me to come in with you?" Emma asked a little tentatively.

"I'll be okay," Regina said, grimacing again. Emma looked at her for a moment. She didn't want to push her. She knew that that would only end in Regina pulling herself further away in an attempt to maintain her strong, powerful façade. But she hated the idea of leaving her like this. It felt so totally wrong.

"Just let me see you inside okay?" Regina smiled wearily in defeat.

"Okay."

Almost as soon as they were inside the colour seemed to flood from Regina's face. She took a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself, one hand on her stomach, and she seemed almost to waver where she stood.

"Regina?" But she simply shook her head, her free hand flying to cover her mouth. She disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke and seconds later Emma could hear the sound of retching coming from the downstairs bathroom. She hurried towards it but when she pulled at he door she found that Regina had locked it.

"Regina, come on please let me in."

"I don't want you to see me like this," came Regina's voice; it sounded muffled and thick, as though she had tears in her eyes.

"Regina please," Emma said, softening her voice. "I want to help." After a few seconds quiet, Emma heard the lock in the door click. She gently pushed it open to see Regina kneeling on the flaw, her head hanging over the toilet bowl. Emma knelt besides her and gathered her hair back out of her face as she heaved again. She rubbed large soothing circles on the woman's back with her free hand, and after a moment she leaned back into her, breathing heavily, closing her eyes against the pain.

"All done?" Emma asked quietly. Regina nodded.

"You don't have to stay," she said breathlessly, although her heart constricted in her chest at the thought of Emma leaving her now. It was soothing, resting back into her, her head on her chest as the blonde now traced little patterns on the backs of her hands.

"I want to," Emma said, planting a soft kiss on her temple. "Come on," she said, gently pulling Regina to her feet. "Let's get you to bed."

Whilst Regina changed into her silk pyjamas, Emma searched through the medicine cabinet in the en-suit, finding a large bottle of aspirin on the top shelf. Regina sank into the covers and pressed her throbbing forehead into the cool surface of the pillows. It felt as though she had icepacks pressed against the backs of her eyes, freezing her nerve endings. Try as she might to conceal it, a tiny whimper of pain escaped her lips. She felt Emma's hand touch lightly on her shoulder and she looked up. Emma handed her the water and aspirin silently and Regina eagerly swallowed the little white pills, and gulped down the glass of water. She hated that Emma had seen her like this, weak, and vulnerable. She hadn't wanted her to see this side of her. She felt ashamed.

Emma huddled down next to her under the covers and Regina allowed herself to be pulled into Emma's arms, in too much pain to think straight enough to resist. The blonde wrapped her arms around her, cocooning her, and Regina grimaced again with pain and let out another little groan, burying her face in the younger woman's shoulder. Emma hushed her gently, and planted a soft kiss on her head, proceeding to rub soothing little circled at the woman's temples. It was nice, calming, and coupled with the warmth of Emma's embrace, and the gradual easing of the pain due to the pills, it was making Regina sleepy. She hummed in approval, but was in too much pain, and was too sleepy to be embarrassed at her own uncharacteristic display of affection.

"Please don't leave me tonight," she found herself muttering, and she felt Emma smile.

"Of course I won't." Perhaps, Regina thought as she drifted into sleep, it wasn't such a crime to be a little vulnerable every once in a while. She certainly had never had such a pleasant migraine. It wouldn't hurt to let Emma look after her every now and then, let her be her own personal saviour.


End file.
